Distance Makes The Heart Grow Fonder
by writergirl89
Summary: After a week together, Ben and Leslie spend the next week apart while, loose ends are tied in Indianapolis. Ben/Leslie, obviously. One-shot. Established relationship.


**Title:** Distance Makes The Heart Grow Fonder... And The Mind Grow Antsy

**Author:** WriterGirl89 (mah!)

**Rating:** PG-13

**Pairing:** Ben Wyatt/Leslie Knope

**POV:** Third-Person

**Summary:** After one, long blissful week together, newly minted couple Ben and Leslie have to endure one long week without each other as Ben heads to Indianapolis to tie up loose ends before officially moving to Pawnee.

**Author's Note:** Hey! I'm back with more B/L goodness. This is my third P&R story and second one-shot and I got this idea as I was re-watching an episode of this fabulous show (ah, the wonders of OnDemand). Leslie and Ben have become my new favorite shipper and friendship on TV and I do enjoy writing for them so, I do hope you enjoy.

**Disclaimer:** Besides the obvious? Fine. Jeez. I own nothing. At all. Happy? 'Cause I'm not.

...

One week.

One wonderful, happy, blissful week together that was all spent in Leslie's house.

And no, get your mind out the gutter they never went_ there_ (and it wasn't for a lack of trying on Ben's part but, she _insisted_ they go slow. Damn).

Not counting that, according to everyone around them, they were practically a couple for months already.

But, alas, he caved when Leslie said words like_ special_ and _worth your while_ and _waiting makes things better_...

Well, he didn't doubt her there.

Anyway, zero sex aside, they had a great week.

He fixed things around her house (the look of surprise on Leslie's face was enough to fill him with manly pride), she taught how to make her 'special waffles' and then he, in turn, taught her how to cook anything besides waffles, despite some... _struggles_ along the way (_"What do you have against waffles?"_ _"Nothing. It just wouldn't kill you to learn how to make something besides-" I don't wanna." Leslie." "No!"_).

In the end, they made a trek to the grocery store and she helped him make chicken and rice.

And betraying her cute, child-like pout, he could just tell she that she had, in fact, enjoyed it (_"Was that so terrible?" "Aweful." "Then you're getting more because..." "Shut up."_) and as a slave to her wishes, they went and got ice cream after.

Overall, a great week.

But, this isn't about that week.

This is about the _other_ week.

The week without each other.

What an awesome week that was.

...

**_Day 1._**

Leslie sighed as she all but slumped on the chair behind her desk.

She had had several meetings that day and only a couple more before she went home. And she felt uncharacteristically... tired and sluggish. Her normally cheerful and bright demeanor felt a lot less present today and her mind wandered around all the possibilities of why this was.

Of course, her mind landed on the same conclusion she had drawn earlier in the day.

Ben.

He had gone this morning to Indianapolis to take care of last minute arrangements concerning his former bosses and new job and living situation down in Pawnee.

And she missed him.

_Unbelievable._

They'd been a couple a week and he had just left that morning and she already missed him in the worst way.

_Great._

Leslie Knope was a mature, grown-ass woman and here she was pouting over the absense of her new boyfriend like some dumb high school teeny bopper.

And then, her phone made an electronic, musical sound indicating a text was imminent.

Without preamble, she grasped her phone from her desk and flipped it open.

She could feel herself brighten as she read the words.

**_Miss you- Ben._**

Just two words. Just two, simple words that spoke of his similiar longing for her company and made her feel less of a crazy person for missing him when he he'd only been gone for a nearly half a day.

His message making her feel tons better, she straightened and readied herself for her next couple of meetings.

...

_**Day 2.**_

Ben cringed as he walked into his apartment and closed his door, leaning against it, his eyes closing involuntarily.

He had spoken to his bosses again today and they still had a hard time understanding why he was leaving them, even thought they knew of the job waiting for him in Pawnee with Chris.

Although, they hadn't a clue about the small, spirited blonde waiting for him in said town.

And, like hell, they were gonna find out. It was his and his business alone of what personal relationships he chose.

Relationships that just so happened to help certain career decisions to be made.

Ben wasn't lying to himself. He knew one of the bigger than big reasons he was staying in Pawnee was because of Leslie. The fact that their friendship turned into more not soon after he had made the choice to stay just made it easier.

He wasn't working on false hopes now. He wasn't staying on the off-chance that she might wanna date him. Or he wasn't just assuming that, because he was staying, she would automatically jump in his arms.

Instead, it was two weeks before she suggested they have dinner.

The dinner that ultimately cemented their feelings for one another.

He was just gonna have to go through the next five days to see her again.

God willing.

...

**_Day 5._**

Leslie nearly jumped out of her skin as the surprisingly shrill, loud sound of her phone woke her up, interrupting some wonderful dreams she'd been having. Said wonderful dreams involving very... naked and vigorous activities with a certain former state auditor.

Dreams that made her wanna slap herself for denying him the whole week they spent together before he left.

She groaned as she blindly grabbed around in search of her phone on her nightstand, bleary eyes still struggling to open when she got a hold of the still ringing device.

Without bothering to look at the caller I.D., she opened and placed it at her ear. "What?" She barked.

Normally, Leslie wasn't like this. Even if it was at an ungodly hour, she tried being as nice as she can be when someone called her. Whether it be a wrong number or Ann or someone from Parks calling for help on anything they needed. It really didn't bother that much and she rarely slept a full 8 hours because of her always very much 'on' and rapidly thinking mind so, it wasn't like she missed a lot of sleep.

But, right now, being woken up in the middle of hot fantasies that starred her boyfriend, who was currently miles away from her, was just cruel and unusual punishment.

_Please Jesus, this had better be good!_

There was a second of silence.

_"Uh, hi."_

The familiar, very male voice on the other end of the line made her murderous mind snap quiet and she barely managed to breathe, let alone get words out, her mouth opening then closing quickly like a fish.

_"Leslie?"_ His voice. The voice she had been wanting to hear for days. The soothing, slightly lowered timbres of his voice made deeper by the phoneline did odd, highly inappropriate things to her insides.

_Inappropriate? Pfft! He's yours now, Knope, you can think whatever the hell you want!_ A voice, sounding strangely like Tom, yelled in her brain.

_"Lesli-"_

"Ben! Hey!" She cringed at the higher, fake sound of her own voice before clearing her throat and trying again. "How are you?"

_"I'm good. How are you?"_ He answered slowly, the sardonic drawl of his voice coming out more. _"Are you alright? You sound like you've been running a mile."_

Only then did it register how breathless and out of sorts she sounded.

Her mind clammered for an explaination as images of Ben's warm, sexy smile and strong touch echoed across her mind.

She felt her face grow hot. "I'm-I'm fine." She clenched her eyes shut a moment, gathering her bearings before opening them again. "I was just asleep and I was having this really bad dream." She laughed lightly. "But, it was nothing really. It's good now."

She expected a chuckle or some sort of question about her cerebral goings on but, all Leslie was met with was... silence.

Complete silence.

"Ben?"

It was another bit of silence before he chuckled. A dark, implication-filled sound that made her heart stammer. _"I'm sorry, I just ah... I'm sorry, I just thought this would be easier."_ He sounded kinda helpless and fustration seeped through her eardrums.

The sudden change in mood over just a few seconds ago startled her a little. "Easier?"

He exhaled deeply. _"Yeah."_ Another pause. _"I thought if I could only hear your voice for a few minutes, it would make me feel better but, that didn't work now, did it?"_

She knew he wasn't looking for an answer really. "Ben, I don't-

_"I miss you."_

Her breath hitched at the quiet intensity in his voice. _"I know. I know. It's only a week but, ... I can't help it. I've missed you since the moment I left Pawnee. And..." _He laughed again._ "I don't know if you've figured it out or not but, I'm pretty nuts about you so, goal fingure, right?"_

She laughed. "Right."

A stretched out minute of pause followed again.

"Ben?"

_"Mmm?"_

"I miss you, too."

...

_**Day 7.**_

He was coming home today and Leslie couldn't be more excited. She had been planning a little surprise party in the office that had included cake and his favorite foods. It was only a small celebration to tell Ben how much he had been missed and officially welcome him to his new home in Pawnee.

Everything had been set out in the office conference room. Balloons, decorations, and food laid out for the festivities.

He had said he was gonna show up at 3:00 or 3:30 so, Leslie made sure everything was ready by then, making sure her man would get the best welcome party he would ever have.

Everything was ready and all she had to do was wait.

She first waited in her office before Tom's insistent teasing brought her out to nab fresh air.

After five minutes of that she checked the time.

It was 3:35.

_Odd. He's never late._

She walked back inside, walking slowly down the hall, thinking she'd missed him outside.

She had passed the door of his office when she felt hands grab at her waist. "Guess who?"

She immediately knew who it was and spun in his embrace, brightening as she came face-to-face with him. "Hey!"

Without thinking, Leslie wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. "Oh my god. I missed you!"

Ben reciprocated the gesture, arms around her waist tightening. "I missed you, too." He murmured into her hair, pressing a kiss to the area before moving his lips to her forehead, then her cheek, then her nose, then her...

_"Oh."_ She let out a surprised, gaspy sound as his lips made contact with hers.

He stopped before they could go further, looking around to see if anyone had seen then leading her by the hand into his office.

Before she could say anything, he had slammed his mouth back on hers, tongue swiftly tangling with hers, stealing her breath.

A deep sound came from within his chest that she felt go right through her, making her moan into his mouth.

His hands possessively grabbed her hips and clumsily placed on her on his desk, making her giggle before he stopped the sound with his tongue back in her mouth, swiping over and over again inside her warmth, moaning at her taste.

She tasted sweet, like Sweetums candy and her own unique essense, which he loved.

She gasped as he placed himself between her parted legs, his hands wandering.

He palmed her breasts, revelling the mewling sounds she made as he did, swiping at her nipples through her blouse, giving them a light squeeze.

Ben was no man-slut but, he wasn't an amatuer either. And hell if Leslie was complaining.

Things started escalating and heating up and Ben had started moving a hand under her skirt before a loud cough interrupted from the door way.

"First rule of making out in secret: Always, always lock the door."

_Dammit, Tom!_

...

**A/N 2: Hello! What'd you think? Good? Not good? **

**Now that you've read, please review! I find it's the best policy (next to honesty, of course).**


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